Design can be many things, from a beautiful piece of art that inspires the soul, to a functional solution that improves lives, and in some cases an expression of history blended with cultural trends of the future.
Such is the case of a recently renovated historic home in the vibrant neighborhood of Venice Beach, where a series of historic craftsman homes built in the 1920s reside alongside newly built modern residences, known as the Venice Walk Streets Homes. One of the homes in the Milwood Historic Neighborhood of the Venice Walk Streets Homes underwent a significant and unique restoration, where in an unprecedented move, the front section of an original 1907 cottage was lifted and moved to a new permanent home at 929 Marco Place, where an incredible renovation began.
The project involved residential design studio at Abramson Architects, the interior designers at Joan Benhke & Associates and M.E. Development, who sought to preserve the constant design themes reflective of Venice, Abbot Kinney, and Silicon Beach.
Updating the century-old home was no small feat, as achieving approval for the Marco Place project required close coordination with the development team and certification by a historian and the Department of Los Angeles City Planning Office of Historic Resources.
The existing single-family bungalow, which originally straddled two of the three contiguous lots, qualified as a “potential contributor to the District” and was earmarked for preservation. The one-story Craftsman was relocated from its original space between lot 22 and lot 23 to the adjacent lot 24 and its new permanent home at 929 Marco Place. A tasteful two-story addition involved modern materials while maintaining the original roof-line of the 1907 bungalow helped the structure retain its character-defining craftsman style while satisfying the local demand for contemporary residential architecture.
“Our aesthetic was in marrying the two, so we designed the interiors with modernized and updated traditional details,” said Joan Behnke, the interior design group part of the project.
After its relocation, every detail of the home’s façade was restored or replaced with materials that respect the original structure and every visible detail was restored to modern day standards and code. As part of the renovation, and in a representative fusion of old and new, the home was custom curated with designer products that balance comfort, style and performance and provide an innovative update to the interior of the home that coincides with the updates surrounding the century-old exterior.
These products include the ThermaSol Smart Shower with steam and Serenity Light, Sound, Rainhead, that allows the homeowner to control all aspects of their shower experience, from water duration and temperature to lighting, sound and more, all programmed with the ThermaTouch Smart Touchscreen control. These high-tech features relate well to young professionals who value technology as it pertains to their lifestyle, Joan said.
“With the ever-present design aesthetic leaning towards the modern bathroom as a zen spa-like experience, ThermaSol creates a modern day home spa experience from within the shower.” The bathroom, like other areas of the home, was also built for customization and personalization which aligns with the ThermaSol Smart Shower features.
With the Smart Shower, homeowners can create a user profile that remembers shower preferences, from steam and shower temperature to the color and brightness of lighting, as well as the option to watch soothing nature scenes with sounds, listen to music, use 40+ apps and even watch live TV, all from inside the shower.
Other bathroom elements include sculptural bath faucets, shower fittings and accessories by Franz Viegener, chosen for their unique details “like lavatory handles that look like simple pared down knobs,” Joan said. Other thoughtful design details in the bathroom include functional features and quality lighting.
“We made sure each shower was outfitted with shower niches, shower benches, and separate handshowers. We made sure to incorporate good lighting in each bathroom and tried to design the finishes, materials and colors with a timeless look.”
For the kitchen design, Joan selected a faucet and fittings by Waterstone Faucets for “very unique styles that lent themselves to the transitional look of Craftsman and modern,” Joan said. The kitchen is on the smaller side but features many high-end fixtures and appliances expected of a luxury home. “It has the most premiere Miele appliances – complete with a built-in coffee maker, smart refrigerator and steam oven. It also contained the perfect detail for the Southern California healthy lifestyle – an indoor herbal garden called the Urban Cultivator.”
The kitchen also has an open floor plan to allow for connection with guests and family while cooking and preparing food. “The kitchen has an ease of lifestyle, cooking and dining all while sharing conversation,” Joan said.
To learn more about the ThermaSol Smart Shower and Steam products included in this bathroom project, visit here.
For more info about the Modern Venice Home Project, visit ModernVeniceHomes.com.
